What appears to be a crowd of several hundred people gathered today at the Virginia state capitol. Standing silently in the cold, they lined the walkway used by the legislators who have been voting on -- and voting away -- women's rights in Virginia.

From their Facebook page:

The Capitol ground rules say that we cannot assemble, hold signs, chant, yell or protest. We think silence in the face of this struggle and their unconstitutional rules presents the strongest response to their assault on women. Please come out and stand up for our rights and for the rights of all women in VA to choose the best reproductive route for themselves. These people are used to signs, yelling, chanting etc. It is not new. They are not used to silently being stared at and having to look us in the eye. It gives us the power.

A new poll out today from the Christopher Newport University and the Richmond Times-Dispatch shows Virginia's Republican majority to the right of Virginians. About 55 percent of them say they don't like the measure that would require women seeking an abortion to first undergo a medically unnecessary transvaginal ultrasound. The Richmond paper reports the House was to vote on the bill today, but its patron chose instead to hold off for the day.

2. I love the people who stand up to power.

3. Hmmm, could someone who had the ultrasound

and changed her mind about the abortion sue their asses if there was a miscarriage after rooting around in there with the ultrasound. I've had them (infertility treatments and IVF) and they usually are not very gentle when prodding around with that stick.

48. I wish you the best in getting that designation in TX.

I just can't help but thinking there are a whole lot of pervert repubs getting off on the whole idea of forcing women to have this done.

I hated having to have them done, but it was a necessity in my case. We tried for 4 yrs. Thankfully, our successful, single embryo-transfer kidcicle is now 11 yrs old and just made honor roll for the 2nd marking period

4. "They are not used to silently being stared at "

14. They'll remember it, and pass another law prohibiting it

I'm being persuaded that these maniacs will stop at nothing. And it's not such a big jump from outlawing speaking or holding signs at a demonstration to outlawing the mass gathering. Heck, now that 9/11 has changed everything, we don't need a First Amendment anymore, and anyone who says otherwise is clearly some kind of terrorist.

When last checked, the remains of Thomas Jefferson were spinning at approximately 4,500 rpm in his grave.

5. You don't this procedure to see an early embryo

I had an ultrasound in 1981 of my 5 week embryo in my fallopian tube. Actually, I asked to see it and the catholic hospital didn't want me to see it. Why? Because at 5 weeks it doesn't look HUMAN. I was already a mother and had seen many, many pictures in my doctor's office. At that early stage, it looked like a kidney bean. You cannot an early human embryo from a pig or a dog embryo because there are no little head, little arms, legs, etc. Women who already ARE mothers, know exactly what is going on.

6. Now lead story at Richmond Times Dispatch

With hundreds protesting outside the Capitol, the House of Delegates delayed multiple contentious bills that appeared poised for final passage today.

The chamber pushed back votes on a measure that would require an ultrasound of all women considering an abortion as well as adoption- and gun-related legislation.

All three were Senate bills, meaning House passage would ensure that they go to Gov. Bob McDonnell’s desk. The House has already passed similar versions of each.

Senate Bill 484, sponsored by Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel, R-Fauquier, would require an ultrasound of every female seeking an abortion and the opportunity to view the image of her fetus prior to the procedure.

30. Women led the early fight against equal rights in the 1970s

a recent author noted women led the fight trying to control other women's sexuality as well as their access to equal rights in the workplace and elsewhere.

and if a woman holds religious beliefs that consign her to permanent second-class status and incorporates this into her life, unconsciously, she probably gets some sort of sadistic satisfaction in attempting to consign all women to her worldview.

17. I am so with you!

45. All women are Virginians today

This isn't about coeercing and raping just the women of VA, they want this right everywhere. RW'ers are at heart women haters because women represent life and sex and they hate that.
They want to return us to the middle ages where the church and state ruled everything and the peasants had no rights whatsoever. That's the real goal.

11. k&r - These protestors are heroic. n/t

13. Loudest voice is no voice sometimes

And this seems to be the time...they are soooo stupid. Polls for Obama going up this week over just this one issue..what are they thinking the good little republican women will do and vote what they say?

Votes are in secret so even if they said they would vote R I bet a bunch don't!

16. When I moved to MD

and we were looking for a house, I asked my husband why don't we look in VA, since that's where he worked. He said that he needed to live in a blue state, that VA was just too radical for him. I am so glad we live in MD.

tomorrow there will be a no standing in silence rule. i want to say something about the people who keep voting republican but all that comes to mind are vulgarities about the brain-dead ret.... i cant do it.

46. Too easy.

I like what you're getting at - the anal probe for erectile dysfunction drugs ... an anal probe is unnecessary to determine whether ED drugs are necessary.

If however someone was to put some extra legislation on ED drugs (and it probably should) - I'd say that any man who needs to be prescribed an ED drug needs to undergo various tests - cardiogram, blood tests for heart problems... I am not a medical expert but from my reading I learned that people who require ED drugs usually have some other heart problems and blood circulatory issues. Might have hormonal issues (low testosterone).

FWIW my employer pays for any female contracreption considered medically necessary but does not cover ED drugs, even if medically necessary.

31. HB1 and HB462 are vile

with all the things these so-called learned men could be doing and they make this issue HB1 and their very first action item of the term? With all the things that deserves this much attention and time that could improve our economy or schools here in Virginia, this is what they consider more important? Virginia used to be a much better place to live than it is now. The whole thing just makes me sad on so many levels.

34. proud to be Rec # 100

36. Don't get too excited.

They put it off, but according to the paper, it's scheduled for today. So, unless there's another tsunami of protests, the Va GOP is going to ram this thing right on through. They honestly don't care what a majority of people, let alone women, want.

51. the legislature has delayed the vote

so I guess peaceful protest has some value.

the legislature is no doubt fully aware of the negative impact their actions have had for the state of VA around the world - if they pass this legislation, people can also boycott the state and deny them tourist dollars.

I don't know what you think these people should have done, anyway. What do you think the civil rights movement did in the 1960s? They didn't go after the police, the police went after them as they were peacefully, non-violenting protesting. That's what got the attention of the media and made the treatment of Af-Ams a national shame.